Pile fabric



Feb. 5, 1957 P. MILLER ETAL 2,780,245

PILE FABRIC Filed Oct. 5, 1954 I 2 Sheets-Sheet l I fl ll i n as 38 40VENTORS Pam/P m4 5? 1905097 A BAEDJ'Y w ORNEY Feb. 5, 1957 MILLER ETAL2,780,245

FILE FABRIC 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 5, 1954 m m \V J w w E 2E mm mm.F

United States Patent PILE FABRIC Philip Miller and Robert F.Bardsley,Yonkers, N. Y., assignors to Alexander Smith, Incorporated, WhitePlains, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 5, 1954,Serial No. 460,348 6 Claims. (Cl. 139-403) This invention relates to awoven pile fabric of the velvet type in which the pile is formed overpile wires inserted in the pile warp shed during the weaving operation,and has for an object to provide a pile fabric of the above type havingnovel and improved characteristics.

This application is a continuation-in-part of our copending applicationSerial No. 144,882 filed February 18, 1950, now Patent No. 2,695,634which claims the method and apparatus for making said fabric.

More specifically the invention utilizes pile wires havingspring-mounted members at their trailing ends adapted to producedifferent effects depending upon Whether the spring tips are elevated ordepressed. A cam surface is disposed above the pile loops and isarranged to cause the spring tips to be selectively raised or depressed.

In one embodiment cut and uncut pile which may be of the same or ofdifferent heights are made ina fillerwise row formed over a single wire.The invention also provides for making pile of three or more differentheights in the same row. In a combination of tufts and loops ofdifferent heights the highest loop is slightly lower than the lowesttuft. 1

The features of the invention will be better'understoo'd by referring tothe following description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings in which certain specific embodiments thereof are set forth forpurposes of illustration.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the cam roller and the woven fabricshowing the pile wires in place;

Fig. 2 is a detail view of the trailing end of a pile wire adapted toproduce cut and uncut pile of the same height in the same row, showingthe spring tip depressed for forming uncut pile loops;

Fig. 3 is a similar detail view showing the spring tip raised forcutting the loops to form cut pile tufts;

Fig. 4 is a fillerwise section through a fabric produced by the Wire ofFigs. 2 and.3;

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the trailing end of a pile wire for formingfabric having tufts and loops of different elevations showing the springtip depressed for forming uncut loops;

Fig. 6 is a similar detail view showing the spring tip elevated forforming cut tufts;

Fig. 7 is a fillerwise section through a fabric made by use of the wireof Figs. 5 and 6; and

Fig. 8 is a warpwise section through the same fabric illustratingdifferent combinations of tuft and loop heights that can be made by thisinvention.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, Fig. 1 illustrates a fabric 10having squares 11 of cut pile tufts and squares 12 of uncut pile loopsproduced in accordance with the present invention. The fabric is of thevelvet floor covering construction and is produced by pile wires 15 tobe described, which are bound in the pile warp shed. A cam roller 16 ismounted above the wires 15 in a position to be engaged by the leadingwire as it is pulled from the fabric. The roller 16 is shown as2,780,245 Patented Feb. 5, .1957

mounted on a shaft 17 and driven through gears 18 by a motor 19, tocause the roller to rotate at the required speed for producing thepattern. The roller is shown as provided with flat cam surfaces 20 anddepressed cam surfaces 21 joined by inclined surfaces 22, the surfacesbeing disposed in accordance with the desired pattern.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3 the pile wire 15 is of conventionalconstruction except for the trailing ends and comprises a body portion25 having a surface 26 over which the pile loops are formed and havingat its trailing end a spring arm 27 having at its tip a finger 28provided with a cam follower surface 29 adapted to follow the surface ofthe cam roller 16 as the wire is withdrawn, and having a cutting blade30 mounted adjacent said finger 28.

When wire 15 is inserted in the shed in weaving position the finger 28and blade 30 project beyond the fabric so that a fillerwise row of loopsof uniform height are formed over the loop-forming surface 26 of thewire. When the wire 16 is Withdrawn the cam follower surface 29 ridesunder the cam roller 16 and follows the contour of the surfaces 20, 21and 22.

When the follower 29 engages a flat surface 20 as in Fig. 2, the blade30 is depressed below the loops which have been formed over the wire andleaves these loops uncut as indicated by loops 35 in Fig. 4. Whenhowever the surface 29 engages a depressed surface 21 of the cam rolleras in Fig. 3 the blade 30 is brought into a position to cut thepreviously formed loops and form cut tufts 36 (Fig. 4) which are of thesame height as the loops 35 except for the difference in elevationproduced by the cut legs of the loop straightening out and untwisting.

The fabric shown in Fig. 4 is of the two-shot velvet type having upperfiller shots 37 under which the loops 35 and tufts 36 are bound, lowerfiller shots 38, straight stuffer warps 39, and double chain warps 40and 41. It is to be understood, however, that the invention isapplicable to any standard type of backing and permits the combinationof cut and uncut pile to be formed in a single fillerwise row from loopswhich were initially formed over a single pile wire. The cut and uncutareas are of course selected in accordance with a desired pattern whichmay be varied by changing the cam roller 16.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is generally similar to that abovedescribed except that the cam roller 45 of Figs. 5 and 6 is formed witha fiat surface 46, a first inclined surface 47, a second inclinedsurface 48 of lesser pitch, an intermediate flat surface 49, a thirdinclined surface 50, and a depressed flat surface 51. The pile wire 52is shown as formed with a body 53 having a surface 54 of uniform heightover which the pile loops are initially formed, and having at itstrailing end a spring arm 57 having an extended surface 58 adapted toenlarge the loops as the Wire is withdrawn, and having at its trailingend a tip 59 having a cam follower surface 60 and carrying a cuttingknife 61.

The arrangement of this embodiment is such that when the tip 59 passesalong the depressed cam surface 51 the loops are pulled up to theirmaximum height by sliding along the inclined surface 58. The high loopsare then cut by the knife 61 to form high tufts 67. As the tip 59 ridesalong the inclined surface 50 the loops 66 which have been pulled up tovarying heights are cut by the knife 61 to form a series of pile tufts63 which are of corresponding heights. When the tip 59 rides along theintermediate fiat surface 49 the loops are pulled up to an intermediateheight and cut to form a series of pile tufts 69 of intermediate height.When the tip 59 rides along the inclined surface 48 a further series oftufts 70 of progressively lesser heights are formed. When the tip 59passes the inclined surface 47 and engages the fiat surface 46 the.knife 61 passesbeneath the loops leaving uncut loops 65. It is thus seenthat by suitable arrangement of the various cam surfaces 48 to 51, aseries of tufts may be formed of varying heights, the lowest. of whichis slightly higher than the loops 65 and the highest of which is of aheight determined by the depression of the cam surface 5!. Thedistribution of the tufts of ditferent heights is determined inaccordance with the selected pattern.

The backing of the fabric of Fig. 7 is shown as similar to that of Fig.4 and has been given the same reference numerals. Any standard type ofvelvet backing may be used.

Since the enlargement of a loop in any fillerwise row is accompanied bywithdrawal of yarn from the loop or tuft in the previous row which wasmade from the same warp, various combinations of high and low tufts andloops in successive rows may be made as is illustrated irr Fig. 8 whichshows from right to left a series of loops and tufts made successivelyfrom a single pile warp.

Referring to Fig. 8 a loop 75 corresponds to the loop 65 of Fig. 7 andrepresents a loop of the height initially formed over the wire surface54 and which has not been enlarged or reduced in height. The tuft leg 76represents the height of a cut pile tuftmade by forming a loop in thesecond fillerwise row of the same height as the loop 75 and cutting thesame without enlargement of the loop as in Fig. 4. The tuft leg 77 ofthe third row is a high tuft corresponding to the tuft 67 of Fig. 7which has been made by enlarging the previously formed third loop to itsmaximum height thereby pulling down the cut leg 78 of the tuft in theprevious row from its original height which was equal to that of the leg'76. Since the leg 77 has been enlarged to its maximum height thepreceding leg 78 is reduced to the lowest height. When the third loop iscut a pair of legs 77 and 79 are formed which are initially of the sameheight.

It is now assumed that a loop is formed in the fourth row which israised to an intermediate height corresponding to that of the tuft 69 ofFig. 7, thereby forming a pair of cut legs 80 and 81. The enlargement ofthe fourth loop however results in lowering the preceding cut leg 79below the height of the leg 77 by an amount which is double the amountthat the fourth loop is raised.

It is now assumed that a loop 82 is formed in the fifth row which isinitially of the same height as the loop 75. A loop is then formed inthe sixth row and is raised to the height of the tufts 8i and 81 and cutto form tuft legs 83 and 84 which are of the same height. Theenlargement of this sixth loop results in pulling down the fifth loop 82so that the loop 82 is lower than the loop 75 by an amount equal to thatby which the sixth loop has been raised. A loop in the seventh row isformed which is raised to an intermediate height and cut to form a pairof tuft legs 85 and 36, the raising of this loop resulting in pullingdown the preceding leg 84. A loop 87 is formed in the eighth row andremains unaltered, thereby leaving the legs 86 and 85 of the sameheight. A similar loop is formed in the ninth row to form legs 88 and 89which are the same height as the loop 87, except for the difference inelevation produced by the straightening and untwisting of the fibers. Aloop 90 is formed in the tenth row and remains unaltered, therebyleaving the tuft legs 88 and 89 the same height. A loop 91 is formed inthe eleventh warpwise row and is initially of the same height as theloop 90. A loop in the twelfth row is raised and cut to form high tuftlegs 92 and 93. The raising of this loop results in the pulling down ofthe loop 91 to a lower level. A loop 94 in the next row, which remainsunaltered, leaves the legs 92 and 93 of the same elevation.

From the above it is to be noted that in a warpwise direction thehighest tuft is always preceded by the lowest loop or by the lowest legof a cut pile tuft. A tuft of intermediate height is preceded by a loopof intermediate height or by a cut tuft leg of intermediate height. Aloop of normal height is preceded by a pair of tuft legs of equal heightor by a loop of normal height and a pair of tuft legs of normal heightare preceded by a loop of normal height or by another pair of tuft legsof equal height. Any desired combination may be selected according tothe pattern requirements.

Nhat is claimed is:

1. A pile fabric comprising a woven backing having fillerwise andwarpwise yarn and having a fillerwise row of pile elements bound under asingle fillerwise yarn in said backing, certain pile elements of saidfillerwise row comprising cut tufts and other pile elements of saidfillerwise row comprising loops, said tufts being of three or moreheights, the lowest tuft being at least as high as said loops. 2. A pilefabric comprising a woven backing having fillerwise and warpwise' yarnand having a fillerwise row of pile elements bound under a singlefillerwise yarn in said backing, certain pile elements of saidfillerwise row comprising cut tufts and other pile elements of saidfillerwise row comprising loops, said tufts being of three or moredifferent heights, and said loops being of three or more differentheights with the lowest tuft being at least as high as the highest loop.

3. A pile fabric comprising a woven backing having successive fillerwiserows of pile elements bound therein, each row being bound under a singlefiller yarn the pile elements of each row comprising pile loops and cutpile tufts of various heights, the lowest tuft being at least as highasthe highest loop, the highest tuft being preceded in the previousfillerwise row by a tuft of the same pile yarn having legs of unequalheight.

4. A pile fabric comprising a woven backing having successive fillerwiserows of pile elements bound therein, each row being bound under a singlepi le yarn the pile elements of each row comprising pile loops and cutpile tufts of various heights, the lowest tuft being at least as high asthe highest loop, the highest tuft being preceded in the previousfillerwise row by a low loop of the same file yarn.

5. A 'pile fabric comprising a woven backing having successivefillerwise rows of pile elements bound therein, each row being boundunder a single filler yarn the pile elements of each row comprising cuttufts of low, intermediate and maximum heights, andloops of low,intermediate and maximum heights, the lowest tuft being at least as highas the highest loop, an intermediate height tuft being preceded in theprevious fillerwise row by a loop of intermediate height of the samepile yarn.

6. A pile fabric comprising a woven backing having successive fillerwiserows of pile elements bound therein, each row being bound under. asingle filler yarn the pile elements of each row comprising cut tufts oflow, intermediate and maximum heights, and loops of low and maximumheights, the lowest tuft being at least as high as the highest loop, anintermediate height tuft being preceded in the previous fillerwise rowby a tuft of the same pile yarn having legs of unequal height.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

